Improved glycemic control in poorly-controlled patients with type 1 diabetes using real-time continuous glucose monitoring

Intensive self-management with frequent self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) is important in type 1 diabetes to achieve good metabolic control. Nevertheless, many patients still experience episodes of unrecognized hypo- and hyperglycemia. Novel technologies for continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) that provide information about glucose excursions are now available. Previous studies reported the benefits of retrospective evaluation of CGM data, but few assessed effects on glycemic control, and only one showed improvements compared with SMBG. We evaluated the effect of a new real-time glucose monitor on glycemic control in patients with poorly controlled type 1 diabetes. The device, Guardian RT (Medtronic MiniMed, Northridge, CA), allows users to see glucose readings and set hypo- and hyperglycemic alarms and provides trend information on changing glucose values